Practicing — is it worth the fight?

Parents, you and your child are still near the beginning of your journey, but we're sure one very important word has already become an integral part of your child’s music experience:

PRACTICE. 

Listen, few people like to practice — it’s like musical homework!

We know that practicing can be a fight that you don’t want or need.  We also know that most of you are not musicians and may not know how to help your child be successful in it.  That’s ok.  It’s not so much WHAT they practice, but THAT they practice, even if it is for just 10 minutes.  In your role as a parent, you can make a big difference when it comes to practicing.  You don’t have to know anything about their instrument or about music.

Helping your child set aside a regular, dedicated time for practice over these initial months can have a dramatic effect on their trajectory as a musician!

What does regular practice look like?  For a beginner, shorter, frequent sessions are better.  It takes time to develop the ability to practice in a focused, sustained manner.  Set a schedule and try and stick to it so they develop a routine.  As they work through their materials, prompt them with, “that was great… can I hear that again?” Or, “AWESOME!  You should play that for your brother/sister/parent.”  You will trick them into practicing without them even knowing it!  Sneaky?  Yes!  But it works!

The key to guided practice is a consistent schedule and repetition.  If you can get them to sit down regularly and play things multiple times, the improvement will be significant! Please know that YOU are a crucial part of setting up your child for success in music, and we're here to help you!